Incubator tray



D. M. HOLBROOK April 14, 1925.

INCUBATDR TRAY Filed Nov. 24, 1924 Patented Apr. 14-, 1925.

li t FFICE.

DAVID M. HOLBROOK, 0F PORTLAND, OREGON.

INCUBA'IOR TRAY.

Application filed November 24, 1924, Serial No. 751,989.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID M. HOLBROOK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Incubator Trays; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear and exact description 01 the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in incubator trays embodying means for holding and turning the eggs, and the invention relates primarily to that type of tray which is equipped with a plurality of troughs for the eggs, said troughs being pivotally mounted for tilting in either'direction, according to the manner in which the eggs are to be turned.

It is one object of the invention to provide a new and improved structure in which the troughs are of novel form, permitting one edge of each trough to co-act with the next adjacent trough in supporting the eggs of the latter, in inclined position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tray in which all of the troughs may be simultaneously turned in one direction or the other during the incubation period, while during the hatching period, one group of said troughs may be turned in one direction and the remainder in the other direction, provision being made whereby this relation of the troughs will provide an opening between the two groups, through which the chicks may descend to the nursery.

Yet another object is to provide a novel device for turning the troughs in one direction or the other during the incubation period.

With the foregoing and minor objects in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a portion of an incubator tray constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1, illustrating the troughturning device in position for use.

Figure 3 is a detail vertical sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the manner in which the turning device is operated to simultaneously turn the troughs,

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the trough-turning device.

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view showin theunanner in which the troughs may be set when the eggs are hatching.

In the drawing above briefly described, the numeral 1 designates a hor zontal rectangular frame having a pair of opposed side bars 2, each of which is preferably provided with an inwardly extending longitudinal flange 3 at its lower edge. and constituting stop means for limiting the turning of the trou hs. hereinatter descr bed. Associated w th each of the bars 2 and its stop fl nge 3, I have illustrated a metal strip l wh ch GB IGHClS longitudinally thereof, said strip transversely inclining from a point near the inner edge of the flange 3 to the upper edge oi the bar 2. The two stri s 4 are formed with spaced openings 5 which rece ve proiecting pintles 6 on plural ty of shallow, transversely curved troughs 7, said troughs ertcnding between thehars 2. in parallel relation w th each other and overlvinq the flanges 3 of said bars. The pintles 6 are secure-d to the bottoms of the troughs 7. in substantial alinement with the longitud nal centers ct said troughs. and when the latter are tilted in the direction shown in Fig. 2, one side 8 of each trough extends horizontallv from the pivotal a cis of such trough, while the other trough side 9 extends vertically from said axis and rests u on the stop flange 3. When the troughs are all turned to the positions shown in Fig. 4, the sides 9 thereof rest upon the stop flange 3 and extend horizontally from the pivotal axes of said troughs, while the sides 8 then stand vertically. By comparing Figs. 2 and 4, it will be seen that regardless of the direction in which the troughs 7 are tilted, the vertically standing side of practically any trough forms a rest and straightening means for the eggs held by the next adiacent trough, so that the eggs are supported partly by each trough and partly by the next adjacent trough. It will further be seen by comparing Figs. 2 and 4, that regardless of the direction in .which the troughs 7 are tilted, the upstanding wall of each trough is laterally spaced from the horiz n l side of the next adjacent trough.

By providing this spacing, the incubating tray may be readily converted for use during the hatching period, in which it is necessary to provide an opening through which the chicks may leave, to enter the nursery. After the incubation period, some of the troughs 7 may be tilted in one direction as seen at the left of Fig. '7, while the remain ing troughs may then be tilted in the opposite direction, as indicated at the right of this figure. This provides a wide space 10 through which the newly hatched chicks may pass to the nursery.

Novel provision is made for simulta neously turning all of the troughs 7 in the same direction, during the incubation period. In the present showing, a single horizontally elongated sheet metal plate 11 is provided for transverse disposition under the troughs 7 at one end of the latter. The inner edge of this plate is provided with spaced upstanding projections 12 to engage the horizontal sides 8 of the troughs, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, so that by pushing upwardly upon the plate and moving it in the direction of its length, the troughs will be turned from one position to the other, as will be seen by comparing Figs. 2 and 4. The outer edge of the plate 11 is preferably provided with an upstanding flange 13 having a horizontally extended portion 1a adapted to hook over the upper edge of one of the bars 2, as seen in Figs. 3 and 5. When the trough-turning device is first applied, it is inclined as shown in Fig. 3, but when its inner edge is forced upwardly to cause the projections 12 to engage and turn the troughs 7, said device swings about the flange on the like 1%, to substantially the position disclosed in Fig. 5. In some instances, it is of course possible to hingedly and slidably connect the troughturning device with the tray in a permanent manner, but in most instances, this is not desirable as it would mean added expense to each tray, whereas by providing the troughturning de ice as a separate element from the tray, one of such devices may be used for turning the troughs of a great number of trays.

As excellent results are obtainable from the general construction herein disclosed, such construction may well be followed. However, within the scope of the invention as claimed, numerous modifications may b made.

I claim:

1. An egg turning tray comprising a frame having two opposed side bars, at least one of which is provided with inwardly projecting stop means; and parallel, shallow, transversely curved, egg troughs extending between and pivoted to said side bars, said troughs being adapted to be tilted simultaneously in one direction or the other during the incubation period, while during the hatching period a number of said troughs are turnablc oppositely from the others to provide a space between the two groups through which the chicks may pass; the trough pivots being disposed substantially in alinement with the longitudinal centers or" the troughs and being connected with the aforesaid side bars at points to dispose the troughs over the stop means, either side of any trough being adapted to rest on said stop means, the stop-engaging side then projecting horizontally from the pivotal axis of the trough while the other trough side projects vertically from said axis in laterally spaced relation with the horizontal side of the next adjacent trough, the vertical side of each trough being co-operable with the next adjacent trough to support the eggs of the latter in inclined positions.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1; said stop means extending inwardly from both bars and consisting of longitudinal flanges, and strips extending longitudinally of said bars and having openings receiving the trough pivots, said strips being transversely inclined from points near the inner edges ot the flanges to the upper edges of the bars.

3. A turning device for pivoted troughs of an egg tray, comprising a member adapted to be transversely positioned under the troughs, said member having spaced upstanding projections for engaging and turning the troughs when said member is moved upwardly and transversely of said troughs.

4-. A structure as specified in claim 3; said member having temporary supporting means adapted to hook over a portion of the tray.

5. A turning device for pivoted troughs of an egg tray, comprising an elongated plate adapted to be disposed transversely under the troughs, one edge of said plate having spaced upstanding trough engaging projections, the other edge of said plate having an upstanding flange provided at its upper end with means to hook over a portion of the tray.

6. A turning device for pivoted troughs of an egg tray, comprising an elongated plate adapted to be disposed transversely under the troughs, one edge of said plate having spaced upstanding trough-engaging projections, the other edge of said plate having an upstanding flange whose upper edge is bent horizontally over said plate to hook over a portion of the tray.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto atiixed my signature.

DAVID M. HOLBROOK. 

